X-Ray

General Information About X-Ray

X-ray is the primary and most common examination within the specialty of radiology. X-rays provide valuable information to radiologists about your health and play an important role in diagnosis. X-rays of the chest, abdomen, spine, sinuses and extremities are all very common X-ray tests performed. X-rays are a form of electromagnetic radiation producing wavelengths that are shorter than visible light and therefore invisible. X-rays also behave differently than light in that they are able to penetrate into matter (including the body) and can ionize matter which strips away the normally occurring electrons from atoms and creates radiation.

X-rays do provide valuable information to your radiologist and primary care physicians, they are not to be ordered without careful consideration of the risks and benefits of use. The primary risk of an X-ray exam is radiation exposure to the patient. In simple terms, the effective radiation dose from a single chest X-ray is comparable to the amount of radiation you are exposed to from natural surroundings in about 10 days. Learn more about X-rays here.

An X-ray creates an image of the dense structures inside the body that are recorded on film for evaluation by a radiologist.

Select Imaging Procedures

Chest X-Ray with PA and Lateral Views

Imaging with x-rays involves exposing a part of the body to a small dose of ionizing radiation to produce pictures of the inside of the body. A chest x-ray makes images of the heart, lungs, airways, blood vessels and the bones of the spine and chest. Two images are taken one PA-posterior/anterior (front view) and one taken Lateral (side view).